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Campaigning A Tad Too Early? Only In The Philippines

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Presidential elections is two years away. For us, commoners, that’s a long time. But for politicians trying to get the highest seat in the land, two years is a short time. Now, let me see, if I were a candidate, and I’m not as popular as today’ celebrities, what would I do to at least increase voters’ awareness of my hidden agenda errr..political platform? Do I go house to house? Give out flyers? No. A smart political candidate know better of course. Television, even in the advent of the Internet, is undoubtedly, still the most-effective, most-patronized media in this country or elsewhere. But how do I pay for it if I’m not filthy rich, you may ask? Bingo! Sponsorship. It’s not surprising then that a lot of expiring, err..aspiring candidates have resorted to TV ads these past few weeks. There’s this ad by the beautiful Sen. Loren Legarda, capitalizing on her flawless skin; another ad by Sen. Manny Villar’s expression of support and financial assistance to abused OFW’s who want to go home; one ad of the VP Noli de Castro encouraging people to stop renting and start getting a house of their own since Pagibig rates are at its lowest.. and yes, an ad by the young Sen. Chiz Escudero (although unlikely to run for president come 2010 — whoa! campaigning “extremely” early then) promoting a health supplement and relating it to “good governance” — well, that’s new. Those are the only ones I saw at least. But I’m betting my bottom peso that we can expect more in the future specially towards the end of this year, increasing in quantity as we near the much-awaited, much-publicized, much celebrated “fiesta” that is the national elections. TV ads can actually be a good thing, you know — offers wide audience reach, provides easy name recall (specially with a jingle) and all. But it has to be mixed with a good political platform, good reputation , a passion to serve and of course the brain and the heart (that will hopefully save many if not all of us) for it to be very effective. Politics in the Philippines is a game that has been played by many an expert in this field. Sadly though, the unassuming and very trustful spectators that we all are, end up choosing the lesser evil among a pool of evils. Although it is true that our salvation doesn’t rest entirely on these soon-to-be leaders, there’s absolutely no denying that change, at least in this country can only be effected by those who have the “power” to influence if not create it. Now, I’m not saying that campaigning through TV is wrong. I find it rude though and inappropriate when broadcasted at a time like this when there are more pressing issues that should be taken cared of instead of furthering political ambitions. Can’t they wait at least until some issues are resolved? It’s annoying to see these ads when you know we’re hanging by a thread to complete disaster. Somebody stop this.

Posted on “One Political Filipino”

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2 responses to “Campaigning A Tad Too Early? Only In The Philippines”

  1. Z'riz Avatar
    Z’riz

    before i left the Philippines, this was all over the news…it would have been better if they were indeed campaigning to improve our government but they aren’t…what with all the issues and scandals abounding in our government…tsk tsk tsk

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  2. Max Avatar
    Max

    Hi, I just ran across your site by mistake. It looks nice. I guess politicians are about the same everywhere. Here in the US, they started campaigning for the November ’08 election more than a year ago. That means almost 2 years of money being spent on campaigning, 2 years of senators and governors not doing their jobs while trying to become well-liked enough to be voted president, and 2 years for the voters to become completely disinterested in the election, even more so than they may already be.By beginning campaigning so early, there is the almost inevitable situation that none of the candidates will seem appealing to the voters by the end. By beginning campaigning so early in the process, it gives ample time for each candidate to dig up all of the dirty secrets on the rest of the candidates.

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Let me know what you think… :)

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● About Me
Cecilia Regina Aquino Blanquera Marmol aka RJ Marmol profile picture

I’m RJ Marmol — writer, musician, and independent creator based in Manila.

I write songs, essays, and books about the messy overlap between money, overwhelm, creativity, identity, and rebuilding. Much of my work circles around what happens when life stops feeling manageable — and how we try to think clearly, make decisions, and keep moving anyway.

I’m also the author of Rebuilding Under Debt: Thinking Clearly When Everything Is a Blur, a nonfiction book published under Steady Hand Press. The paperback edition is listed under my full publishing name, Cecilia Regina Aquino Blanquera.

On the music side, I release work as HeyRJ. On the writing side, this site is where I gather my books, essays, notes, and whatever I’m building next.

Music

HeyRJ is my sonic soul project. I create raw, minimalist-style and deeply personal music interpretations that feel like a late-night conversation with your truest self.

By blending lo-fi acoustic textures with poetic honesty, my work explores love, loss, grief, healing, and the quiet in-betweens of life. Each song is a letter — a journal entry — a gentle companion for when the world feels too loud or too quiet.

While my catalogue began with intimate cover renditions, my work is increasingly being shaped by original writing, drawing from years of poems, lived questions, and emotional survival.

“Stuck Home Syndrome” released on March 20, 2026 is my first original 20-track album written during a period when time felt compressed and days began to blur into each other. The songs came from sitting with thoughts that had nowhere else to go — unfiltered, repetitive, and sometimes uncomfortable. It’s a concept album that isn’t built around singles or polish. It’s closer to a continuous inner monologue, recorded with minimal production and very little ornamentation and meant to be listened to as one cohesive body of work. The goal wasn’t to resolve anything, only to document how it felt while it was happening.

On May 29, 2026 I released new original singles – “Rapturous”, “Uh Huh”, “Look At You”, “All That” and “Blew Print”. I continue to release both original and cover songs and intend to so for as long as I can so check back every once in a while — you might. just find something you’ll like.

For business inquiries relating to music, email me at: heyrjmusic[at]gmail[dot]com or my personal email at: rjmarmol[at]gmail[dot]com.

Books

Rebuilding Under Debt: Thinking Clearly When Everything Is a Blur

A nonfiction book about what debt does to the mind — and how to begin functioning again when financial stress has made everything feel blurred, urgent, and overwhelming.

Rather than treating debt only as a financial math problem, the book explores the emotional and cognitive realities of financial distress: shame, decision fatigue, avoidance, panic, relationship strain, and the difficulty of making sound decisions while mentally depleted.

Published under Steady Hand Press. It’s available worldwide in ebook and paperback formats on Amazon. Bookstores and libraries can also be order it wholesale via Ingram.

Contact

For book-related inquiries, media requests, bookstore questions, or discussion-group invitations, you can reach me through the contact page on this site or send me an email to rjmarmol[at]gmail[dot]com or hello[at]steadyhandpress.com

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